EastScene

Here at EastScene, we pride ourselves in bringing you the best in music  coverage. As part of a new series of  profiles, we’ll be introducing you to some great new and unsigned bands you may not have heard of. First up on the docket are west coasters Fighting for Ithaca.

Formed in the summer of 2007 Vancouver B.C.’s Fighting For Ithaca set out to inject their unique blend of punk-infused power-pop into an increasingly stale music scene where its seems keyboards and neon reign supreme and most bands perfecting the art of the cookie cutter song. Armed with excellent stage presence and playing over 55 shows since the release of their debut E.P. in early 2008, the band has managed to quickly develop a loyal fan base at both  national and international levels.After a line up change in the drummer department,This 5 man piece is ready to blow up in epic proportions. East Scene caught up with the boys as they were in rehearsals for a brief tour wich saw them playing dates  in Alberta and in and around B.C. Contenders in the 2009 Cfox Seeds radio competition and Currently Working hard in the studio on their next E.P; Fighting For Ithaca is full of energy and armed with a strong work ethic. This band will definitely be a force to reckoned with in both the Canadian and International music scene.
ES: With sites like MySpace fans have more access to their favourite bands as well as discovering new bands. As a younger band do you think it make sit harder or easier for you to get noticed?

Ryan: That’s a really good question. I was looking at bands I like I MySpace and just looking at their top friends, mostly the bands they like and the ones those bands like and so on and I realised that there’s a lot of Fucking bands out there and there’s a lot of competition and they’re all kind of cookie cutter the same bands over and over. So I’d say that there’s a lot of competition out there.

Curtis: I would agree with Ryan in some ways its easier to get noticed because u can send a message to a record label if they have a MySpace so they can directly see you through your page, but as far as gaining fans, it definitely makes it had there’s many fish in the scene and a million bands on MySpace and all trying o get noticed. Everyone wants to be that one band that grabs people’s attention and make them want to come back.
ES: Do you think it makes bands hungrier or work harder or do you think that with so many bands blowing up on MySpace and gaining popularity without record deals that it’s even necessary to have a contract?
Curtis: I think it separates the men from the boys so to speak cuz I think you can see the ones that are hungrier they have the MySpace’s that look nicer, that have more updates and video blogs, more plays and fan interaction on a daily basis.

ES: There’s a huge shift in the industry right now with so many bands releasing their albums through sites like iTunes and even including downloading cards with their albums do you think the album is still relevant or necessary in today’s market? Where do you think the industry is headed towards?

Tommy: The way I see it the industry is very much moving towards the single releases like it was in the 50’s where it was singles not full albums being released. I think that people are moving more towards the single cuz I think people’s attention spans have changed a lot there’s so much music out there.
ES: A lot of younger bands are left holding their own bags as far as promotion and getting their name out there. Certain big name bands are known for being outspoken or vocal as to what tour or show they want to and not want to play. As a younger band still struggling do you feel you can put your foot don as to saying no we won’t play this show or with this band?
Patty: As far as younger bands, for us personally were kind of like whores. We take what we can get regardless who we’re playing with. We’re just tying to get out there and snag some fans. As we progress hopefully well be able to have the option to be able to say “this isn’t for us we’d rather do something else.” Right now we just want to be able to get out there and play for kids. Our music has such a wide range, that it’s everybody friendly. So even if you’re not a huge fan of our style, there are still a couple songs that you’d be able to bob your head to and enjoy.
Curtis: When it comes to record labels, even though a lot of bands want to jump right away and want to sign the first thing they look at because they’re excited or whatever reason, I think its important to be aware of  the business side when financials are involved. A lot of young bands out there can get screwed and they need to watch out. They need to make sure that they’re not signing onto a contract that doesn’t necessarily benefit them.

What sets Fighting For Ithaca apart from every other band out there right now?
I think our bands live show is what really sets us apart. It was one of the first points we talked about when we started out. We noticed that one thing wasn’t something that a lot of bands in the city had, was an intense live show. So I think as a band that was something we set out to accomplish. I think that the industry is very interesting in the sense that u have those mainstream bands that will get the air play the Much Music and MTV rotation and the whole bit, but you also have a strong underground scene and bands that are successful through warped tour and constantly touring and I think that we as a band take away elements from both aspects; underground sound which lends itself to the mainstream so that someone not necessarily familiar with the warped tour sound will still enjoy it.
Even the metal heads like us!
ES: Can you describe your writing process
Patty:  It definitely starts with a riff and then I or Ryan will come in with another and we just start hammering out and see where it takes u. We start with one part and everything is kind of written around the one part. Different bands try different avenues and bring out there own creativity.
Ryan: I think structure wise we always start with a chorus. We all listen to music that you always want the chorus to take us higher and that’s what we try to achieve. We wan every song to be hook-y we don’t want any filler songs.

ES:You guys had a line up change bringing in a new drummer. How did this or did it effect the bands dynamic or even stylistically music wise?
Curtis: I think that when Keigan joined the band we were already at a turning point stylistically.  We were writing new songs and we didn’t find that our old drummer matched up with what we were trying to do. We started to become a little more poppy but at the same time we were becoming a lot more technical. Unfortunately our old drummer didn’t really match up with everything we wanted to do.
Patty: I think when we met Keigan it was the final piece of the puzzle and everything came together, everything we had been working on with the new songs we heard his drums and it was exactly what we had seen. Basically He was the drummer that was supposed to be there from the beginning, it just took us a year and a half to find him.

ES: What has been the hardest thing you guys have faced or discovered in being a band?
FFI collectively: Making decisions.
Curtis: Pretty much we want everything to be unanimous which is why it’s so hard. Everyone in the band has a unique personality and we try and make decisions where everyone is happy with them. The way we make most decisions is we argue about it and then we come to something where someone compromises a little more than someone else but what needs to get done is done..

ES: What is something you’ve noticed as being a potential downfall with bigger bands out there and on the flip side something that positive among younger bands?
Tommy: I think something I’ve noticed with bigger bands is they sometimes try to progress away from the sound that fans fell in love with a little too quickly either because they get bored with it or don’t like it whatever their reasons are. Personally I can think of a few bands where I fall in love with the first album and then the second one comes out and I’m like who is this? I wanted to play a show with you not so much anymore… {laughs}
Ryan: Well see u on the NickelBack tour…NOT.

Curtis: With any younger band it’s always nice to see the raw energy and passion they have for it. I think that certain bands as they get bigger sometimes loose that. Like you’ll watch certain bands that have been around for a while and you just notice there’s something missing. Not everyone has an undying love for music and it just becomes a job like any other.
ES: What does each band member contribute t the groups dynamic?
Curtis: I think that everyone in this band has a secondary ability that they contribute aside from musical abilities. Ryan is great with financial things and being organized, We’ve discovered that Patty is really good with electronics  he can work our light show and be our tech guy also{jokes}  Keigan and I are good with the promotional side and getting on MySpace fan interactions and setting things up.
Tommy: He’s (Keigan) also great with the artistic side and coming up with ideas for covers or posters and stuff like that.
Ryan: Tom well he’s the good looking one the attractive one if you will
Curtis: I’m good with promotion and the management side. Like when they want to kill each other I’m good at stepping in and calming down the situation
ES: Curtis as the one who mostly deals with booking shows our tours and what not, do you find that you’ve been met with a lot of scepticism or people maybe not taking you seriously because you’re not a booking agent or you’re a younger band?
Curtis: I think that before 6 months ago or a year ago we would take every show we could get. We didn’t ask for much. It was pretty much give us a stage to play and we’re ready to go. But promoters have started to make money off us and wed like to start  making some too so that we can cover things like recordings so now were starting to set standards for our shows as far as set times and compensation. You’re always gonna be met with resistance but venues are willing to meet what smaller bands like us have asked for. I mean if you’re a band who brings in 20 people and you ask for 500 $ chances are u will get laughed at but we have a good draw here locally so we’ve noticed local promoters are willing to meet with us. I think with this tour promoters are basing what we ask for and what they’re willing to give us solely on our music so it may be harder to get what we want but in the end the thing that matters the most our music and our fans will speak the loudest for us.
ES: Can you tell us a little abut your experience in the studio as the newly revamped FFI?
Ryan: Well we’re working with Producer Evan Morgan who’s worked with a lot of great bands out here in B.C. He produced last years Fox seeds winners Incura. We always joke that he’s the sixth member of the band.
ES: How has working with Evan Morgan changed you guys as a band or maybe the way you approach song writing?
Curtis: been great at shedding light on aspects that we would never have thought of with certain songs. I think he’s helped to make us more self sufficient also, less maybe apprehensive about doing certain things.
When can we expect the fruits of your labour if you will?
Curtis: Mid to late summer.
Ryan: It’s going to be 8 songs of sheer awesomeness. Like we said before it was really important for us not to have any filler songs. I think every song on the e.p. is a potential single.

After having previewed a few of these tracks myself and having  had the chance to sit in on one of their rehearsal,  it is clear that they do not take anything for granted and sweat and bleed for their music. You can check them out on their myspce at www.myspace.com/fightingforithaca or on facebook

Fighting Facts about FFI
-Though based in Vancouver FFI boasts some east coast pride with members Tommy and Ryan hailing from Montreal and Toronto respectively.
- Drummer Keigan Funk attended the Grammy awards with his former band Mastema.
-Lead singer Curtis Steeksma sung onstage with The Lost Prophets during a Vancouver Show.